10 Stretching Do's and Don'ts

Warm up before you stretch so that muscles, tendons, and ligaments stretch more easily. Try light activity, such as walking and pumping your arms. Spend at least five to 10 minutes warming up. Painful injuries can happen when you stretch cold muscles.

Or bath if you don’t have time to warm up. Your body temperature will be higher, so muscles will be more pliable.

DO: Stretch After a Shower... https://d33ljpvc0tflz5.cloudfront.net/dims3/MMH/thumbnail/580x388/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd26ua9paks4zq.cloudfront.net%2F86%2F3e%2Fbee7d6ec4fb99ddd9aa136f125dd%2F10-stretching-dos-and-donts-2.jpg

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Hold each stretch 10 to 30 seconds. Let the muscle lengthen slowly—don’t force it. Do two to four repetitions of each stretch.

DON'T: Stretch to the Point of Pain https://d33ljpvc0tflz5.cloudfront.net/dims3/MMH/thumbnail/580x388/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd26ua9paks4zq.cloudfront.net%2F74%2F19%2F1d0f8b0f4ce582d944374542f18a%2F10-stretching-dos-and-donts-4.jpg

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This isn’t as effective and shortens muscles instead of lengthening them.

Some studies have suggested that stretching can relieve muscle soreness. However, a recent review found that stretching before or after exercise doesn’t prevent post-exercise muscle soreness in the first place.

DO: Warm Up

Warm up before you stretch so that muscles, tendons, and ligaments stretch more easily. Try light activity, such as walking and pumping your arms. Spend at least five to 10 minutes warming up. Painful injuries can happen when you stretch cold muscles.